Data recording apparatus



I NOV- 16, 1965 R. c. E. ALLEY 3,217,983 f DATA RECORDING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 28, 1965 6 Sheets-Shea?I 1 FIG! anannafvm VE T Ri- 402W@ QMMLQ ATroR/vgys Nov. 16, 1965 R. c. E. ALLEY 3,217,983

DATA RECORDING` APPARATUS Filed Oct. 28, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 16, 1965 R. c. E. ALLEY DATA RECORDING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 28, 1963 Nov. 16, 1965 R. c. E. ALLEY 3,217,933

DATA RECORDING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 28, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Arrvnevs Nov. 16, 1965 R. c. E. ALLEY 3,217,933

DATA RECORDING APPARATUS Filed 0G13. 2.8, V1963 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGB 15 37 57 www O o o ooo o O OOO@ Ogg@ 38 47 4Z 4Z o o o ooo o o o o 8 O FIGS F|G.8 o

FIGIO 1 74 c 2 .con FIG." E 32 .O u, ooo f 393 7@ :ooo 77 @ggg Nov. 16, 1965 R. c. E. ALLEY 3,217,983 A DATA RECORDING APPARATUS United States Patent O 3,217,983 DATA RECORDING APPARATUS Raymond Charles Edward Alley, South Harrow, Middlesex, England, assigner to D.'I`.R. Development Company Limited, Berkshire, England Filed Oct. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 319,419 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Oct. 26, 1962, 40,609/62 8 Claims. (Cl. 234-36) u The present invention relates to improved data recording apparatus of the type in which the data to be recorded 1s punched, in coded form on to a continuous tape.

According to the invention there is provided data recording apparatus comprising tape punching means includmg a die plate formed with a plurality of apertures arranged in a column and a plurality of punch elements each aligned with `a respective aperture and having a punch end slidable into such aperture and a sensing end remote from the die plate; a coding bar having portions adapted to be engaged by the sensing ends of and thereby to prevent further movement of selected ones of the said punch elements on movement of the tape punching means towards the coding bar, the coding bar being movable in the direction of the said column of apertures thereby to vary the selection of said punch elements; mechanism linked to said coding bar to move therewith, said mechanism including a sensing bar moving longitudinally in unison with movement of said coding bar; a plurality of manually-operable stop means each operable mutually exclusively selectable to cooperate with the sensing bar and, on being operated, to constitute a stop limiting movement of the sensing bar and correspondingly of the coding bar; and manually-operable actuating means, operatively linked to the said mechanism and to the tape punching means, for moving the said mechanism and the coding bar to the extent defined by engagement of the sensing bar with the stop constituted by any selected one of the said stop means and for subsequently moving the tapepunching means to an actuated position in which selected ones of its punch elements, having their sensing ends in engagement with the said portions of the coding bar, have their punching ends disposed within the respective apertures of the die plate.

Further features which may advantageously be incorporated in data recording apparatus according to the invention are also disclosed in the following description.

A preferred embodiment of data recording apparatus according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a data recording machine according to the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation partly broken away of the machine of FIGURE l,

FIGURE 3 is a schematic sectional elevation similar to FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a sensing bar forming a part of the machine.

FIGURE 5 is a front view of the main shaft of the machine and the cams operated thereby,

FIGURE 6 is a part sectional plan view of a part of the punching mechanism of the machine,

FIGURE 7 is a plan view showing the receipt printing mechanism of the machine in detail,

FIGURES 8 and 9 are respectively a front and side elevation of a punch for use in the machine of FIGURES 1 to 3,

FIGURE l0 is an elevation showing a section of tape after punching, and

FIGURE l1 is an elevation showing a punched and embossed card for use in the machine of FIGURES l to 3.

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In the figures a data recording machine is indicated generally at 10. The machine 10 is designed primarily to punch information, which has been fed into the machine through a key board and/or `a punched card, on to a continuous tape. The punched tape may then be fed through a converter which converts the coded information into a form suitable for feeding into a computer or it may be fed directly into a computer in which the coded information is processed in any advantageous manner.

The machine 1t) is also designed to print the information on to a receipt, simultaneously to punching the information on to a tape. Additionally it is designed to receive the information or a part thereof which is to be punched on the tape and printed on the receipt directly from a punched card instead of through a key board.

The machine 10, as shown in FIGURES l to 3, comprises a keyboard 11, sensing sliders 12 which are held in a sliding carriage 13 and each of which operates a respective coding bar 14 through linkage mechanism indicated generally at 15, a punching mechanism indicated at 16 and a receipt printing mechanism indicated at 17.

The operative parts of the machine are carried between side panels 13 and motivated by a main shaft 19 which is rotated manually by a handle 20.

The keyboard 11 comprises sixteen columns of keys 21, each column containing one or more keys. The keys 21, which are each formed with an `abutment end 22 and a camming surface 23 and slot 24 intermediate their length, pass through slots provided in a latching strip 25 and zero release strip 26. When a key is depressed, as can be seen from FIGURE 3, the camming surface 23 moves the latching strip 25 forwardly, thus allowing any key in that column which was previously depressed to spring up into its normal position, to which it is b1assed by spring means (not shown). The key is then depressed further until the latching strip 25 springs back lnto the slot 24 to hold the key in the depressed position.

The carriage 13, which is positioned beneath the keyboard, carries the sensing sliders 12, one of which 1s positioned under each column of keys. Each sensing slider 12 comprises a slider 27 and a sensing bar 28 connected thereto by a plate 29. As shown in FIGURE 4 the sensing bar 28 is formed with a number of abutments 30 which are offset alternately to opposite sides of thewbar 2S. The abutment ends 22 of the keys 21 in each column are also offset alternately to either side of their respective sensing bar 28, and when a key is depressed its abutment end 22 limits movement of the sensing slider 12, 1n the direction of the arrow A, to an amount which is characteristic of the depressed key and is different from the limit imposed by any other key of the same column.

The carriage 13 is connected to the mainshaft 19 1n a manner to be described below. Rotation of the main shaft 19 moves the carriage 13 in the direction of the arrow A and the sensing sliders move with the carriage until the sensing bar 28 of each slider :is held against further movement by contact with a depressed key 21.

Mechanism, which is indicated generally at 31 in FIG- URE 3, is provided on each column of keys to prevent the sensing slider 12 moving with the carriage 13 when no key 21 in that column has been depressed. The mechanism 31 comprises a hook 32 which is permanently spring urged downwardly into engagement behind the first abutment 30 on the sensing bar 28 of the sensing slider 12, When a key 21 is depressed the camming surface 23 thereon urges the zero release strip 26 forwardly which raises the hook 32 allowing the slider, subsequently, to move forward with the carriage. In known manner a release key is provided on the keyboard linked to mechanism indicated generally at 33 such that, upon depression of the release key the mechanism 33 is motivated and moves the latching strip 25 in every column forwardly to release all the depressed keys on the keyboard.

Each sensing slider 12 is connected to a coding bar 14 through the linkage 15 in such manner that movement of a sensing slider 12 in the direction of the arrow A is translated into directly proportional movement of the setting bar connected thereto upwardly in the direction of the arrow B, shown in FIGURE 3.

Each coding bar 14 carries a code plate 34 and eXtension 35. The extension 35 is toothed and operatively connected to the receipt printing mechanism in a manner to be described below.

The punching mechanism 16 is carried between side plates 36 which are operatively connected to the main shaft 19 in similar manner to the carriage 13 and cornprises sixteen columns of four punches 37 and tape 38.

As shown in FIGURE 6 each punch 37 comprises a sensing pin 39 and punching head 40 joined by an intermediate portion 41 having a recess 42 therein. The end of the punching head 40 is formed with a mitred, i.e., V- shaped, notch so as to have two curved cutting edges 43 and 43a.

A return comb 44 is located over the punches so as to have a tooth 44a engaged in the recess 42 in each punch. The head 40 of each punch is located within an aperture 45 in a stripper guide plate 46 and when actuated passes through the stripper guide plate 46 and into an aperture 47 in a die plate 48.

The tape 38 is carried on a spindle 49, Which is carried on the side plates 36, and passes between the die plate 48 and stripper guide plate 46 and over a sprocket drum 50 to a wind-up spindle 51 which is also carried on the side plates 36.

The tape 38 is drawn through the die plate and stripper guide plate by the sprocket drum 50 which is operatively connected to the main shaft 19 by a suitable cam and linkage.

The cutting edges 43 and 43a of each punch are so shaped that the punch cuts the tape, rather than shearing it as is the case in conventional punching methods. Consequently the diameter of an aperture 47 in the die plate 48 can be greater than the diameter of the punch by up to about three times the thickness of the tape and still cut a clean hole without leaving a slug attached to the tape 38.

The tolerance which is thus allowed between the punch and the aperture in the die plate reduces the friction between the punch and die plate and thus the force required to operate the punch. This is of considerable importance in a machine where up to sixty or more punches may be cutting the tape simultaneously.

In addition the shape of the cutting edges 43 and 43a on each punch spreads the cutting load over a longer period than when conventional flat-ended punches are used. This spread of the cutting load may also be increased by making the punches of different lengths, so that some of the punches cut the tape earlier than others.

An additional two columns of punches 37 are provided to punch sprocket holes at either side of the tape and preferably these punch, say, three holes on one side of the tape and only one hole on the other side, as shown in FIGURE 10, so as to ensure that the tape cannot be fed into a converter the wrong way round.

Initially, the tape is fed manually through the die plate and stripper guide plate and over the sprocket drum 50. A cover plate 52 is then pressed over the tape to force sprocket pins 53, mounted on the drum 50, through the tape so as to make a pre-punched lead in tape unnecessary. Conveniently the cover plate 52 includes a container 54 to collect the swarf from the punched tape.

The toothed extension 35 of each coding bar 14 engages a pinion on a printing wheel 55 forming a part of the receipt printing mechanism 17, which is shown in detail in FIGURE 7.

The receipt printing mechanism 17 comprises sixteen printing rollers 5S (each corresponding to and rotated by movement of a coding bar 14), a receipt-paper roll 56, ink ribbon 57 and pressure roller 58. The outer end of the paper of the receipt roll 56 passes between Itwo knurled driving wheels 61D and 61 and thence over the printing rollers 55. The Wheel 60, which is operatively connected to the main shaft 19 by means of a suitable cam and link mechanism acts as a driving wheel and the wheel 61, which is spring-loaded, acts as a pressure roller to hold the receipt roll in permanent contact against the driving wheel 60.

The ink ribbon 57 extends between two reels 62 and passes over a secondary roller 63, pressure roller 5S and secondary roller 64. The pressure roller 58 is carried on a pivot arm 65 which is connected to a sliding carriage 66. The sliding carriage 66 is permanently urged into the position shown in FIGURE 7, to one side of the printing rollers 55, by means of a spring 67. It is also connected, by means of a wire 68 to a drum 69 which is operatively connected to the main shaft 19 by means of a Wire 69. Upon rotation of the drum 69 the wire 68 is wound up and the carriage and pressure roller 58 are moved across the printing rollers 55, in the direction of the arrow C. The pressure roller 58 is spring urged against the printing rollers as it is drawn across in the direction of the arrow C and the spring pressure is released at the end of its travel so that, as the pressure roller 58 returns it pivots, on the arm 65, away from the printing rollers 55. This prevents shadow printing on the receipt roll during the return movement.

One complete cycle of operations by the machine 10 is carried out by rotating the main shaft 19 through 100. This cycle of operations is as follows.

The information to be punched in code form on the tape 3S is first fed into the machine by depressing the relevant keys on the key board. The handle 2t) is then pulled forward rotating the main shaft 19.

During the first 3 of rotation of the main shaft 19 a keyboard release lever 70, which is operatively connected to the shaft 19, is lifted allowing a keyboard locking lever 71 to fall in front of the latching strips 25. Forward movement of the latching strips 25 is prevented and no further keys can be depressed until the locking lever 71 is raised.

During the following 40 of rotation the carriage 13, which is connected to the main shaft 19 through cams 72 and linkage 73, is moved in the direction of the arrow A. The carriage 13 carries with it the sensing sliders 12 until the sensing bar 28 of each one meets a depressed key 21 and is arrested. Movement of each sensing slider in the direction of the arrow A results in a corresponding movement, through the respective linkage 15, of a coding bar 14 in the direction of the arrow B. The toothed extension 35 of each coding bar is engaged with a pinion on a corresponding printing roller 55 which is thus rotated, the extent of the rotation being determined by the linear distance through which the coding bar 14 has been moved.

The abutments 22 of the keys 21 in each column are spaced at varying distances from their adjacent abutments 36 on the sensing bar 28. Thus each sensing slider 12 will move with the carriage 13 into any one of a number of different positions depending on which one of the ten keys in the relevant column has been depressed.

Each code plate 34 on a coding bar 14 can therefore be moved into any one of a number of positions behind its corresponding row of four punches 37 and, similarly each printing roller 55 can be rotated into any one of a number of positions by the coding bar 14, each position corresponding to one of the keys 21 in the associated column on the keyboard.

During the first 43 of the rotation of the main shaft 19 a suitable mechanism, which is indicated generally at in FIGURE 2, is actuated to make a final adjustment and alignment of the tape 38 prior to punching, initial `:movement of the tape 3S being carried out during the return stroke of he previous punching operation.

Upon rotation of the main shaft 19 through a further 7 no operative movement takes place. The main shaft is then rotated, by the handle 20, through the final 50 of its movement and, through this iinal movement, it actuates the punching mechanism 16 and receipt printing mechanism 17.

The punching mechanism 16 is carried between side plates 36 which are pivotally mounted on a shaft 36 and are provided with projecting arms 36a. Each arm 36a carries at its forward end (see FIGURES 2 and 5) a respective pin 36h engaged in a cam slot of a respective one of a pair of cams 36e mounted on the shaft 19 like the cams 72 which they generally resemble. The slots of the cams 36C however, are appropriately proled to pivot the arms 36a downwardly, and thus the punching mechanism forwardly, during the last 50 of movement of the shaft 19. By this means, the punches 37 of the punching mechanism 16 are brought into cooperating relationship with the code plates 34.

As can be seen from FIGURE 3 each code plate is formed with two recesses and as the punches are moved towards the code plates they either enter the recesses or strike the code plates so as to be forced through the `tape 38. Depending upon the position of the code plate a different combination of punches 37 in each column thereof will punch through the tape 38. The combination of holes punched in the tape is therefore selected by the position of each coding bar 14 which in turn is determined by the key 21 initially depressed on the keyboard.

While the punching mechanism 16 is being pivoted toward the code plates 34 the drum 69 of the receipt printing mechanism is rotated by means of the wire 69', and draws the pressure roller 58 across the printing rollers 55.

Each printing roller 55, which carries ten embossed characters, has been selectively positioned by a coding bar 14 and the inking tape 57 acts in the manner of a typewriter ribbon printing the receipt roll 56 with the preselected characters on the printing rollers.

When the main shaft has rotated through 100 the ltape has been punched with the information initially keyed into the machine and the same information has been printed on to the receipt roll 56. The main shaft is now allowed to return to its original position and as it rotates back through 100 the punching mechanism 16 is raised,

the pressure roller 58 is pivoted away from the receipt roll 56 and returned across the printing rollers 55, the carriage 13, which contains the sensing sliders 12, is returned, sprocket drum 50 is rotated to move the tape 38 lthrough the stripper guide plate 46 and die plate 48, the knurled driving wheels 60 are rotated to move the receipt roll 56 through the printing mechanism and finally through the last 3 of return movement the keyboard release lever 70 is raised so that the keys 21 may again be depressed and the machine re-set to punch fresh information on to the tape 38. i

The stripper comb 44, which is attached to the framework of the machine 1t), remains fixed during movement of the punching mechanism 16. Thus as the printing mechanism is pivoted away from the code plates 34, during the return movement of the main shaft 19, any punches which were forced through the tape are caught by the teeth 44a of the stripper comb, which engage the lower edge of the recess 42 in each punch, and returned to their initial position, to disengage them from the tape before movement thereof by the sprocket drums 50 and in preparation for lthe following punching stroke.

A tape sensing lever 80 is provided to ensure that the machine is not used without being loaded with tape. The lever 80 is spring urged downwardly on to the tape 38, as shown in FIGURE 3. When the tape 38 runs out the lever 86 drops and, through a suitable linkage, locks the main shaft 19 against rotation.

Conveniently two ratchets are provided on the main shaft 19 one of which prevents it from being rotated until it is fully returned to its starting position, and the other of which prevents it from being returned until it has been rotated through a full 100.

The machine 10 may be used conveniently at the point of sale in a retail shop for recording customers purchases.

The irst ten columns on the keyboard may be used, for instance, to record a customers credit number or any similar information, and the last six columns the actual payment. The data is fed into the machine through the keyboard and the handle 20 is pulled down and allowed to return. The information has thus been transferred to the punched tape 38 and in addition it has been printed on the receipt roll 56. The relevant part of the receipt roll is then torn off and handed to the customer, or if desired it can be rewound on to a windup spool. When the punched tape is exhausted it is removed, fresh tape is fed into the punching mechanism 16 and the used tape is transferred to a converter, or direct to a computer, for processing.

In certain circumstances, for instance where a customer has a credit account it may be convenient to provide the customer with his own credit card, such as that indicated at 74 in FIGURE 11.

The card 74 is conveniently formed from a durable synthetic plastics material and is designed to be inserted into the machine 10 so as to extend over the printing rollers 55 and behind the sensing pins 39 of the punches 37, as shown in broken line in FIGURE 3. A guide plate 74', shown in FIGURES 3 and 7, prevents the card 74 from disturbing `the paper 56 from the receipt roll, but is apertured to allow the paper to be engaged by the wheels 61 and to be pressed by the pressure roller 58 against the card 74 or the print rollers 55.

Two studs 75 are provided (as shown in FIGURE 2) on a plate 76, which is positioned above the printing mechanism 17, and the upper end of the card 74 is provided with two holes 77 engageable over the studs 75 to hold the card securely in position.

The card 74 is preferably so shaped, as shown, that insertion the wrong way round is impossible.

Holes 78 are punched in the bottom of the card 74 and so positioned that, where a hole is to be punched in the tape 38, a blank is left in the corresponding poistion on the card 74, and where no hole is to be punched in the tape a hole 78 is formed in the card 74.

The operative part of the card 74 which is inserted into the machine is only wide enough to cover the rst ten printing rollers and the first ten columns of punches When the card 74 is inserted in the machine the actual sale, or payment, is fed into the machine through the last six columns on the keyboard and the handle 20 is pulled down to actuate the data recording sequence.

The punches 37 are lowered on to the bottom end of the card and either pass through the holes 78 or butt against the card so as to punch a hole in the tape 38. The punches corresponding to the last six columns on the keyboard are actuated by the last six code plates 34 in the manner described above. `Thus the customers credit account number is punched on to the tape direct from `the customers card, avoiding the chance of error in feeding i't into the machine through the keyboard, and the sale is fed in through the keyboard.

The card 74 also has embossed characters 79 corresponding to the coding punched in the bottom of the card. When the card is inserted in the machine the embossed characters overlie the first ten printing rollers 55 and thus the credit account number is also printed direct from the card 74 onto the receipt roll S6.

It will be seen that the machine 10, which will perform two distinct functions simultaneously, is extremely compact and wholly mechanical in operation. It is consequently relatively cheap to manufacture and easy to handle. It is operated manually and by virtue of the shaping of the cutting surfaces of the punches, it can be used easily and without tiring the operator.

The code punched onto the tape 38 can be altered to suit a particular application by altering the shaping of the code plates 34 and distances moved by the sensing sliders 12 upon depression of the keys 21. Thus the machine can be adapted to punch a code which can suitably be used and processed by a variety of different computers.

It will be appreciated that, in the case where a part of the information to be recorded is fed into the machine from the punched card 74, it would be relatively easy to perpetrate a fraud by punching additi-onal holes 78 in the card, thus altering the credit number, or other fixed information previously punched on to the card.

In order to prevent such a fraud or make it relatively easy to perceive the card 74 may be formed with a raised dimple or recess at every blank space which is intended to operate a punch. The raised dimple or recess is preferably circular and of greater diameter than the holes 78 so that, if an additional hole of the correct diameter is punched in a blank space it is surrounded by a raised or recessed ring and if the additional hole is sufficiently large to remove the dimple or recess it is then clearly larger than the other holes 78.

Alternatively, any substance which can be easily visually diiferentiated from the material which the card 74 is formed may be inlaid in each blank space so as to achieve the same purpose as the dimple or recess.

What is claimed is:

1. Data recording apparatus comprising tape punching means including a die plate 'formed with a plurality of apertures arranged in a column and a plurality of punch elements each aligned with a respective aperture and having a punch end slidable into such aperture and a sensing end remote from the die plate; a coding bar having portions adapted to be engaged by the sensing ends of and thereby to prevent further movement of selected ones of the said punch elements on movement of the tape punching means towards the coding bar, the coding bar being movable in the direction of the said column of apertures thereby to vary the selection of said punch elements; mechanism linked to said coding bar to move therewith, said mechanism including a sensing bar moving longitudinally in unison with movement of said coding bar; a plurality of manually-operable stop means each operable mutually exclusively selectable to co-operate with the sensing bar and, on being operated, to constitute a stop limiting movement of the sensing bar and correspondingly of the coding bar; and manuallyoperable actuating means, operatively linked to the said mechanism and to the tape punching means, for moving the said mechanism and the coding bar to the extent defined by engagement of the sensing bar With the stop constituted Aby any selected one of the said stop means and for subsequently moving the tapeepunching means to an actuated position in which selected ones of its punch elements, having their sensing ends in engagement with the said portions of the coding bar, have their punching ends disposed within the respective apertures of the die plate.

2. Data recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the die plate comprises a plurality of apertures arranged in a plurality of columns and the tape punching means comprises punching elements arranged correspondingly in a plurality of columns, and wherein there is provided for each column of punching elements a respective code bar linked to a respective mechanism which includes a respective sensing bar having associated therewith a respective plurality of said manually-operable stop means, the said manually-operable actuating means being operatively linked to all the said mechanisms, and to the said tape-punching means, for moving all the said mechanisms and the coding bars respectively linked thereto to the extents respectively defined therefor and for subsequently moving the tape-punching means into its said actuated position.

3. Data recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising printing means which includes a printing wheel having a plurality of printing characters disposed about its periphery, said printing wheel being linked to said mechanism to be rotated in unison with movement thereof and said printing means being linked with said manually-operable actuating means to be actuated thereby subsequent to movement of said mechanism thereby.

4. Data recording apparatus as claimed in claim 2 and further comprising printing means which includes a plurality of printing wheels each having a plurality of printing characters disposed about its periphery, each said printing wheel being linked to a respective one of said mechanisms to be rotated in unison with movement thereof and said printing means being linked with said manually-operable means to be actuated thereby subsequent to movement of said mechanisms thereby.

5. Data recording apparatus as claimed in claim 2 and comprising means for releasably locating and holding a punched card in the paths of the sensing ends of the punching elements disposed in at least some of the said columns thereof, thereby to engage some of said sensing ends, on actuation of the tape-punching means, in accordance with a pattern of holes punched on such card.

6. Data recording apparatus as claimed in claim 4 and comprising means for releasably locating and holding a card in position with a part of the card having printing characters disposed thereon in relief located in front of at least some of the printing wheels of the said printing means and with a hole-punched part of the card located in the paths of the punching ends of those sensing elements arranged to engage the coding bars linked with those printing Wheels.

7. Data recording apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the punch ends of the punching elements are slidable with clearance into the apertures of the die plate and are mitred.

8. Data recording apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the punch ends of the punching elements are slidable with clearance into the apertures of the die plate and are mitred.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ANDREW R. IUHASZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. DATA RECORDING APPARATUS COMPRISING TAPE PUNCHING MEANS INCLUDING A DIE PLATE FORMED WITH A PLURALITY OF APERTURES ARRANGED IN A COLUMN AND A PLURALITY OF PUNCH ELEMENTS EACH ALIGNED WITH A RESPECTIVE APERTURE AND HAVING A PUNCH END SLIDABLE INTO SUCH APERTURE AND A SENSING END REMOTE FROM THE DIE PLATE; A CODING BAR HAVING PORTIONS ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY THE SENSING ENDS OF AND THEREBY TO PREVENT FURTHER MOVEMENT OF SELECTED ONES OF THE SAID PUNCH ELEMENTS ON MOVEMENT OF THE TAPE PUNCHING MEANS TOWARDS THE CODING BAR, THE CODING BAR BEING MOVABLE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SAID COLUMN OF APERTURES THEREBY TO VARY THE SELECTION OF SAID PUNCH ELEMENTS: MECHANISM LINKED TO SAID CODING BAR TO MOVE THEREWITH, SAID MECHANISM INCLUDING A SENSING BAR MOVING LONGITUDINALLY IN UNISON WITH MOVEMENT OF SAID CODING BAR; A PLURALITY OF MANUALLY-OPERABLE STOP 